Cops Nab Convoy Of Protesters At U.S.-Canada Bridge

Police moved in to clear and arrest the remaining protesters near the busiest US-Canadian border crossing on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, trying to end a demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions that have hurt the economy of both nations even as they held back from a crackdown on a larger protest in the capital, Ottawa.

Photo Insert: Ambassador Bridge

Local and national police formed a joint command center in Ottawa, where protests have paralyzed downtown, infuriated residents who are fed up with police inaction, and turned up pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Rob Gilles and Corey Williams reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The protests have reverberated across the country and beyond, with similar convoys in France, New Zealand, and the Netherlands. The US Department of Homeland Security warned that truck convoys may be in the works in the US.

Windsor police said several arrests were made and multiple vehicles were towed just after dawn near the Ambassador Bridge that links their city — and numerous Canadian automotive plants — with Detroit. It was not immediately clear when the bridge might be opened but Windsor’s mayor said he hoped it would be Sunday.

“Enforcement will continue in the demonstration area and there will be zero tolerance for illegal activity. The public should avoid the area,” Windsor police said.

Only a few protesters had remained after police on Saturday persuaded demonstrators to move their pickup trucks and others cars that they used to block a crossing that sees 25% of all trade between the two countries. In Ottawa, the ranks of protesters swelled to what police said were 4,000 demonstrators on Saturday.

The city has seen similar expansions on past weekends, and loud music played as people milled about downtown where anti-vaccine demonstrators have been encamped since late January.

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